Through the Eyes of the Blind
by something541
Summary: While on a mission with Itachi, Chiharu injured her eyes. Now she's blind, and Itachi's left the village. Will she be able to regain her abilities as a ninja? and return to a regular shinobi life? Only time will tell...as well as Kakashi. No pairings yet.
1. To start anew

Staring up, I see the great white fluff of clouds moving slowly across the blue expanse. It was at times like this, I wish I could fly. I've always wondered what its like to touch the clouds, although it's constantly destroyed when I tell someone. For some odd reason, they all feel the need to tell me that the clouds are simply water vapor and it would just feel like fog.

Stupid people who read books.

"Chiharu." A voice said.

I was too busy staring up at the clouds to notice my friend come up near me. Right now, all I saw was a giant black blob blocking out the sun from my eyes. The hair made me think it was Itachi.

"Itachi-kun."

"What are you doing?" He continued to stare down at me. It was rather unsettling to have someone just stare at you while you're lying on the ground.

"Now that you're here, practicing jutsus!" I replied, cheerfully.

"You mean to tell me that whenever I'm not here, you don't practice at all?" He asked, raising one eyebrow.

Sometimes I wonder how I can befriend such people sometimes. They always assume the worst possible assumptions.

"Why, of course not!" I said waving my hand for an added effect.

I wasn't going to start telling him that I'm really lazy unless someone was there to motivate me. If I did, well, he would be here all the time pushing me until I was near ready to be sent to the hospital. I wouldn't like that, not in the least bit. I already disliked hospitals with their over cheerful nurses.

"Get up." He said.

Obediently, I sighed and slowly got to my feet. Sometimes, Itachi-kun could be so cold.

"Show me your progress on that jutsu you were telling me about," He told me.

It was just like old times, or rather like when I first met Itachi. I was practicing this jutsu and couldn't get it right until he helped me. I remembered how he was pointing out everything I did wrong, but also some of the things that I was doing correctly, like the handsigns. It always tends to be the amount of chakra that I have to put in for the jutsu to work that I mess up.

Let's just say, I was never a studious student when it came to controlling my chakra. How I achieved a jounin level at a young age before being corrected was beyond me.

After what seemed like ten hours of practice, I collapsed onto the grass. I was beyond tired, I was halfway buried into the ground. If Itachi had continued, I would be lying in my coffin.

"Why do you always push me so hard?" I asked while trying to catch my breath.

"In case your skills are not enough." He simply replied.

He could be so vague or secretive sometimes. He must be preparing me for what he thinks is the apocalypse if he thinks I'm going to need to be this skilled.

"Fine, but you have to treat me for ramen since I'm in too much pain to cook." I retorted.

If Itachi was going to push me so hard, I was going to get my revenge by attacking his wallet. My plan would've worked really well if it weren't for the fact that Itachi happens to be filthy rich. Now, I'm starting to have theories that Itachi simply pushes me until I'm exhausted so that I don't come up with any other ways to enact my revenge.

Itachi eventually led me to the Ichiraku Ramen stand, but not after an hour of walking that would normally take twenty minutes.

"What's taking you so long?" he asked, while being a good ten paces in front of me.

"Oh, I don't know. I just love walking this slow even though my stomach tends to say otherwise. I'm just preparing myself for future missions in case there is a lack of food available and I still have to continue." I sarcastically said.

If I didn't know better, I would have said that I heard a chuckle. It was about time too. Itachi needed some laughter in his life.

We finally arrived, and let's just say I ate until I was sick.

"Sorry, Itachi! I forgot that I had a stomach with limits..." As lame as the excuse was, it was true.

Itachi simply shook his head as if in disbelief and helped walk me home. When he was about to turn away to leave, I told him that I had a mission tomorrow, but I didn't know how long it would last.

He simply nodded his head in understanding and bid me good-bye.

He was definitely the odd one out of a bunch, especially with his sense of humor.

The following morning, my alarm clock woke me up at an hour that should never even exist. I almost threw a kunai at it since it was so annoying.

I took a shower and readied my equipment and put on my clothes. I fell while trying to put on my shoes. Maybe it was an omen of what was to come? I sure hope not.

I checked the mirror to make sure I had everything. I was wearing a short black skirt with leggings underneath and the standard nnja sandals. On top, I wore a black sleeveless shirt, but with attached kimono sleeves. Lastly, I grabbed my jounin vest off of the table and put it on.

I was about to leave, when I realized I was having a really blonde moment. I almost forgot my weapons and supplies pouch.

Sometimes I wonder if I was a blonde in my past life or even a stupid chicken. It would explain much about me.

I arrived at the village gates and saw my squad and captain. I knew everyone by name except the captain, since he was ANBU.

The mission was supposed to be a difficult mission which was why we had one ANBU member and the rest jounin. We were to steal a scroll and bring it back to Konoha. I was assigned to it since I specialized in stealth jutsus.

After making sure we had everything, we readied ourselves and started out to the destination. No one spoke. It must be the captain's strict way. Maybe this was all a test to see if we were really capable jounin or not.

After what seemed like an endless silence, we reached the building. There were guards everywhere, so we sketched a plan. I was to stay outside and place the guards asleep and to make sure no one else got in or got out. There would be a clone of the ANBU to stay outside with me while the real captain went in with the rest of the squad. If any problems arose, they would quickly leave and re-plan.

By the time they were inside, everyone within a two mile radius was asleep. My chakra was already half-gone. I got a nagging feeling that I used too much chakra again. So far, no problems arose and my team was out in the clear.

As we were leaving, I thought this was too easy. Much to my luck, enemy nnja had come back to headquarters to find everyone asleep and were now chasing us. Great.

They quickly caught up to us, and surrounded us. Even better.

We formed a square formation back to back and readied ourselves. The enemy ninja slowly came upon us as we tried to fight back. I'm not sure exactly what happened. Everything was moving too fast. All I knew was that I had to survive and that I was loosing too much chakra. No one could help since they had their own enemies to deal with.

I had to just hold my ground a little bit longer before someone would come help. I kept on believing in that, but soon I was panting and the enemy ninja just kept coming. By now, my sleeping jutsu would've ended. Crap.

An enemy ninja came up behind me and started to take a slash at me with his katana. I blocked it with my kunai and started to jump away to attack, but I didn't get far. My chakra was too depleted to carry me further. The enemy ninja caught up and attacked. I tried to block it, but he was too strong. The kunai was flung out of my hands and the katana slice my face where my eyes were.

It was really painful, more painful than the time a kunai had been stabbed into my leg. I quickly shut my eyes and tried to run away with since I couldn't see and I needed to adapt to the environment.

I couldn't run. This time, the enemy shinobi came and slashed my back. Pain just pulsated through me continuously. I had fallen to the ground and by then, I was exhausted and in so much pain. I just wanted it to stop.

Everything around me was quiet. It seemed peaceful, and so, my eyes closed shut.

________________________________________________________________________

I woke up several times, but I quickly fell back asleep once I heard the constant thrumming of a heart beat.

I eventually woke up healed, or at least partially healed. I couldn't see. All I saw was an empty, desolate darkness that seemed to have no boundaries. It felt as if I were floating in space with nothing and no one there. It was a feeling that I hope that I wouldn't have to feel for long.

Once I had calmed down a bit, I started to feel my surroundings. The squishy floor indicated it was a mattress and the recline indicated a hospital bed. Should've expected that.

I noticed a weight beside my leg and I slowly reached out with one hand to feel it. I first poked it, and it felt like hair. So long as I don't poke someone's eyes out, I'll be okay. Next, I felt how long the hair was. It seemed to be tied in a ponytail and a little bit oily. I guess this stranger has been here for a long time or needs to take shower.

I started to think of who I knew that had a ponytail, and only Itachi came to mind. Why would Itachi be here? How did he know that I was in the hospital?

I started to reach out some more, but there was just air. It was odd. Just a moment ago, there was a living, breathing person there, yet they just disappeared without my noticing. To make sure I wasn't being delusional, I reached out once more. However, this time, a hand grabbed mine and gently tugged me into his chest. Now, I most definitely knew that this stranger was a boy. Maybe it really was Itachi.

"You're awake! How are you feeling, Chiharu?" A deep voice asked.

"Despite my lack of abillity to see, I feel great. Although, I would feel even better if I knew who I was talking to," I sarcastically said.

It might be my imagining, but I thought I heard chuckling.

"Can you... see?" The complete stranger asked.

"Am I supposed to?" I asked.

Now, I was starting to worry. Why would he ask if I could see? I just thought, I had bandages around my eyes.

"I was hoping you would say yes. You do know that you are wearing bandages right?" He asked me.

"Uh, no, not really. You still didn't answer my implied question. A blind person can't really tell the nature of someone's name simply by knowing the person's hair length." I commented.

"It's Itachi. Now, don't move. I'm going to remove the bandages." He warned.

I became stiff as a board as I felt his skilled hands untie the knot on the side of my head. I felt the cloth of the bandages become looser and looser, but still, all I saw was darkness. There was no light shining from the windows, or the white walls of a hospital room. Just darkness.

I felt a tear escape my eye as I tried to control myself.

"Itachi. I'm blind." I whispered softly.

I was on the verge of sobbing, and I knew that this time, I wouldn't be able to hold it in.

"Chiharu-chan, please don't cry." Itachi tried comforting me, but to no avail.

Even though he was comforting me, it simply made things worse. The tears poured out of my eyes as I was quickly pulled into a hug and just sobbed. Itachi would continuously pat my back as if to help me steady my breathing. I tried to control it, but I just had to let it out. I don't know how long we were stuck in that position. The tears would just never end.

As more sad thoughts entered my mind, the longer I would cry. In that time period, I realized that I would probably never see again. I won't see what Itachi would look like all grown up, or colors of the animals, or the faces of people I could have met. I may not even be allowed to continue my life as a shinobi. The life that I was training and preparing myself for all of my life.

It was as if the support beams of my whole life suddenly vanished, and everything would fall on top of me. I would have to start anew.


	2. My future

Weeks had passed since I last heard of Itachi. No one had even mentioned him and they avoided my questions. It simply made me all the more curious to know what had happened to him. After all, he was my friend.

My family came to visit me everyday, but they would ask me the same questions everyday like "how are you." What did they expect me to say? Did they really expect me to say that I was depressed or suicidal, or just jolly even though I could never see again? I'm sure that my parents could see my expression of unhappiness. It just made me happier that I couldn't see my face in the mirror. If I could, I would most likely see a face full of despair looking straight back at me.

Everyone that came to visit never mentioned their lives as shinobi or what I would do once I was released from the hospital. They were still doing tests on me and making sure that my eye's wouldn't get infected as they tried to heal them. When I asked the doctor of the week if I would ever see again, they simply avoided my question by telling me that all of my vital organs are working perfectly.

Eventually, the sun had set and visitors were no longer allowed to visit. With no company, or anything to do, I would normally sleep at this time. However, i had this feeling in the pit of my stomach that told me that something wasn't right. It was kind of like a sixth sense.

I was just lying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, trying to falling asleep. Then, I heard a noise. I think it was the window that opened. For a few moments, there was simply silence, so I thought I was hearing things.

Then, all of a sudden, I felt a force in my chest, knocking me out of the bed. I fell on the floor on all fours and I tried to feel the floor for the bed to help pull myself up. Instead, as I tried to find it, I was suddenly grabbed by the neck and forced into the wall.

"Stop it! Yamete!" I yelled as I tried to pull the prying hand off of my throat.

It was a fruitless try since I kept punching in and prying as much as I could in my condition, but the hand wouldn't lessen.

"I knew you were pathetic." The assailant said.

"Nani? ...Itachi...-san?" I asked, clearly confused.

Why was Itachi choking me?

"Do you despise me, yet?"

I didn't know how to respond to this. Was I supposed to say that I hated him, or that I loved him? What was he trying to prove?

The grip on my neck lessened and my body crashed to the floor. I was dazed and about to become unconscious, but I heard those last words Itachi said to me.

"If you don't hate me yet, you will, and you'll come seek me out."

I blacked out.

When I woke up in the hospital, I was lying on the bed with blankets covering me. I heard the breathing of a stranger, and I was confused. Was everything that happened last night a nightmare? I wanted it to be, but knew that it would be too good to be true.

"Chiharu-san, how are you?" My visitor asked.

"I'm okay. May I ask who I am speaking to?" I asked.

There was really no one who would call me -san unless he or she was really polite.

"Chiharu, I'm the Hokage. I need to ask you some very important questions, and I need you to answer honestly." He said, trying to be gentle.

I nodded, but deep inside, I was worried to death. What had happened last night that the Hokage would need to come? Was it for what Itachi had meant last night?

"Do you know what Uchiha Itachi has done?" The Hokage asked in a stern tone.

"Iie." (no) I replied.

This simple question made me worry. What exactly did Itachi do?

"Did Itachi come to see you last night?"

Should I answer it truthfully? I mean, what if they thought I was conspiring with him? Would I be in trouble? I guess, I just have to trust Hokage-sama to allow no harm come to me.

"Hai." (yes)

"What did he do or say?" He asked.

"He choked me," I pointed to my neck, "and then he asked if I hated him. He kept getting at that I would hate him. Hokage-sama, please, tell me what Uchiha-san did!"

I was desperate. What could Itachi do that would make me hate him so much? I need to know. By then, my face felt wet. I guess I was crying again.

"Chiharu-san, what I'm about to tell you has not been revealed yet. You need to keep this a secret for the remainder of the village. Only those involved and the head of the clans know about this." The Hokage warned.

I nodded and braced myself for the news.

"The entire Uchiha clan, except for two has been killed. Itachi is one of the two survivors and he is the murderer. He has left Konoha and his whereabouts are unknown. He has been declared a missing-nin."

The Hokage's words shocked me. Why would Itachi kill his clan? There has to be some mistake. It couldn't be possible? Wasn't everything that Itachi did, for the pride of his clan?

The Hokage must've saw my shocked face because he wished me well before he left.

I was left to my own thoughts for the remainder of the day. I needed someone to talk to, but it kept being Itachi's face that popped up in my mind. I guess I still couldn't control my emotions as I thought I could. Just another skill I need to work on.

Wait.

I don't need to do anything anymore. I can be a regular citizen of Konoha. I don't need to be a shinobi, anymore. I'm blind, weak, and can't even control my emotions. There's no point in being a shinobi if I can't even be a decent one.

Itachi called me pathetic. I guess I truly am. I don't... can't be a shinobi anymore. It's absolutely pointless.

I hardened my resolve and I guess I chose my future now. I'm not going to be a shinobi of Konoha. I will just be a citizen of Konoha. The bloodshed on my hands won't increase. I won't need to leave my family and friends to go on a mission that I might not return to. I don't have to put my life on the line or face the guilt of losing a comrade.

My life is going to be great.

No shinobi. No Itachi. No more missions.

My life is going to be perfect. and quiet.

If that's true, then why do i need to keep repeating myself? Why did I feel the need to continuously tell myself that I'm going to be okay even though one of my best friends just killed his clan and left me while I'm blind? Or that fact that he almost killed me? Why did this have to happen to me?

That night was the worst night I've ever had in my life. I was alone in darkness crying my heart out with no one willing to be there and listen to me. I was alone in a long time. What made it worse was that I was pitifully telling myself that I was going to be okay and that I wanted Itachi to be there with me.

Itachi wasn't going to come back just to comfort me. He had truly left Konoha for wherever it was he was heading towards. I hope he falls off the face of the planet, or better yet, in his hurry in leaving, he missteps and falls of a cliff and falls face flat. Then, the ANBU find his body in a river.

That would make my life great.

I hope.

**Lots of questions, hopes and other good stuff! :D **

**REVIEW! (the story is going under a rewrite before it can continue!)**


	3. Change of Mind

As years went by, I gradually returned to society, or at least as much of society that I could stand. By now, no one really visited me. All of my former comrades returned to their lives and continued to go on missions and risking their lives. I simply remained a citizen.

I tried returning my Konoha headband to the Hokage as a sign of my resigning, but he told me to keep it in case the day that I would need it would arise. I had no idea what he meant, so the headband is on my dresser covered with all sorts of clothes.

I try to not look at it, lest I'll start feeling regretful. I can't have any regrets. I WANT to be a citizen. I WANT to stay safe and have others protect me.

My brother no longer talks to me. I fear that he is distancing himself from our whole family. He already moved out to live with his friends. Somehow, I feel that it is my fault that my family is falling apart. I already tried persuading him to stay home, but he just gently told me that the atmosphere at home was too suffocating for him, whatever that means.

My mom is continuing her life as well. She cooks. She cleans. She goes shopping. I'm sure my mom is okay and happy.

My father is... I don't know. I only hear my father talking to me once a week now. It used to be daily, and then slowly turned to every two days. Sometimes when I can't sleep very well, I hear him come home late at night, and sometimes he doesn't come home at all. I hope he's alright.

I started my day just as I normally would with a walk around the perimeter of our home and then come home. I wasn't allowed to go out into the village for fear of getting lost. I couldn't buy any fruits or vegetables based on the feeling of it alone, and no one was willing to hire a blind girl.

My mother brought me with her to the village market once. I felt so many stares pointed at my way, that I couldn't help but quickly return home. Since then, I refuse to go grocery shopping with my mom. I just wish I knew why they were staring at me. Was it because of Itachi? Was it his fault?

Today, I was feeling risky. I left the perimeter of our house and simply wandered around. I avoided the village center and simply chose to go wherever my feet led me.

The whole time that I was walking, I was thinking of how boring my life has become. I do the same things day in and day out. I have no passion for anything anymore. There's nothing to do, no reason to do anything.

I was still doing it. I was still thinking about my decision to live no longer as a shinobi. Argh. I can't be one anymore. What good is a blind shinobi who can not differentiate from friend or foe? or a shinobi that walks right into trees?

When I snapped out of my thoughts, I found myself in the middle of nowhere. Literally. I could hear none of the village or the forest animals. Where was I? I held my breath and counted to ten as I tried to calm down.

I reached out with my hands to feel for any trees or benches.

What met my hand was a cold, rough stone. There were words engraved in the stone and it was shaped oddly. I felt around it, curious as to what the words said.

"They're names of the people who were killed in action."

The voice broke me out of my curiosity.

"Who's there?" I asked.

I sure hope it wasn't a pervert or groper. I wouldn't be able to defend myself.

"I'm Hatake Kakashi." He said.

"Oh. Your name...it sounds familiar." I responded thoughfully.

It was on of the tip of my tongue.

"You didn't tell me who you were." He said.

"Chiharu." My last name wasn't important.

"Do you know any of the people whose names are on the memorial?" He asked.

So, I was at the memorial stone of the KIA. Crap. I don't know how to return home.

"I'm not sure. Do you?"

By then, I had felt the area for a seat. I felt a hand guide me to a bench where I sat down.

"Most of my closest friends are on there."

"I'm sorry."

We sat in silence for awhile. It was odd, though. I felt that I could be comfortable and relaxed around this man.

"Hatake-san."

"Hm?"

"I'm blind."

I just felt the need to tell this man.

"I know."

His response surprised me. Why hasn't he asked about it as most people would?

"Why have you not asked about it?"

"I think, people tell others things in their own time and should never be rushed."

Interesting philosophy.

"Thank you."

There was more silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

"Chiharu-san."

"Hai?" What would Kakashi be asking?

"What made you stop being a shinobi?" Kakashi said.

At first, it seemed as if I wasn't going to answer. In reality, I was thinking of what to say.

"What good is a weak shinobi who would only be a danger to her allies?" I asked.

"Chiharu. People who hide from their own weaknesses can never improve. Those who hide and refuse to improve are arrogant. Those who don't try to improve, yet know their weaknesses are even worse." Kakashi replied in a stern tone.

"How can a blindness be improved?"

"By adapting."

I heard the bench make a noise, so I assumed that Kakashi got up from his seat. I felt a hand pulling me up and soon, he was leading me to wherever it was he wanted to take me to.

Kakashi lead me home, but I don't know how he knew where I lived. I never told him or anyone else.

The conversation we held made me regret my decision a lot. It renewed my passion for learning new things and improving myself. My decision was reinforced because of the conversation my brother and I had that night.

Once Hatake-san bid me good-bye, I entered my home. I heard my brother in the living room, and so I went to go see what he was doing home.

"Chiharu. Where have you been?" He asked, worried.

"I was.. with a friend." I replied.

"Next time, tell someone! Mom called me to come home since you were missing. I had to delay a mission because of you!" He replied, heatedly.

"I can protect myself just fine!" I yelled angrily.

It wasn't my fault that mom had called him, and I didn't ask him to delay his mission for me.

"See, that's where you're wrong! You're no longer a ninja of Konoha! You are just a plain and ordinary villager that needs protecting. You don't even have a dream for your future anymore." He began.

I tried to interrupt him by saying he was wrong that I did have a dream, but he was right. Unless I were to become a full-fledged shinobi of Konoha, I needed protection from enemy ninja.

"Do you remember what you told me when you were little, Chiharu? You told me that you wanted to be a part of the ANBU so you could have your own little animal mask because you thought they were cute."

"Yea, I do remember," I replied softly.

I had nearly forgotten about that dream. I had forgotten that I always wanted to be a part of the ANBU.

"Chiharu, do not talk to me ever again. Until you can prove to me that you've regained what you lost on your last mission, you are no sister of mine."

I couldn't believe my brother had said those words to me. They struck deep. Maybe even deeper than when Itachi nearly killed me. I was still me, wasn't I?

Wasn't I?

* * *

(Switch to third Person)

After Kakashi bid Chiharu good-night, he reported to the Hokage and said two mysterious words.

"Mission Complete."

**Sorry for it being so short. I didn't know what else to add! REVIEW**


	4. Trying

**I'm pretty slow at updates XD so here's another chapter. ENJOY and REVIEW**

You know, if there's a god up there, or some being that controls how everything turns out, I think he or she hates me. A lot.

I can't believe it happened. Ya' know, being at a funeral. Only, this time, it's my blood relative. Or should I say in my immediate family.

My mom died.

I can't really comprehend the fact that she's gone. Forever. All I want to do is cry and hope that the pain would lessen. I really want everything to go back to the way it was before I went on that mission. That way, nothing like this would happen. I wouldn't be blind, my brother wouldn't have moved out, and my mom wouldn't be dead. Best of all, I wouldn't have any reason for hating Itachi.

It had happened within the first week of my training to become a shinobi again. You could call it a rehabilitation. I was with my sensei at the training grounds and we were trying to see what I was still capable of. I couldn't aim for my life using a kunai. I also, especially, couldn't see anything, but then, that's a no-brainer. It appeared that I would need more chakra to attack someone since I couldn't physically see them any more. I also could no longer make a clone of myself or a copy-cat of another person. However, I was immune to genjutsus.

I lost a couple of handful abilities, but I got a new ability. The abilities balanced each other out.

I hadn't told anyone of my training because I didn't want them to either have really high expectations or expect too little from me. I wasn't ready to fail anyone yet. When I come home, I would be exhausted and I'd silently go to my room. Once, my mom caught me on my way in.

"Chiharu, where have you been? I've been worried sick!" my mom had said. I could hear it in her voice that she really meant it.

"I've been ... out." I was really lame at making up excuses or lying.

"What do you mean, young lady? You better not be doing anything illegal, and especially not betray Konoha!" My mother scolded.

For some odd reason, I just became furious. How could my mom think that just because I was no longer a Konoha shinobi, I would betray the village. I was still a villager who was proud to be a part of Konoha. I wish I hadn't. Maybe then, my mom would be alive.

"Do you really think that I would betray Konoha? The village means more than the world to me!" I yelled.

"How am I supposed to know that?! You quit your duty as a shinobi of Konoha that protected others and you disappear daily without leaving a note of where you are going or what you are doing?" My mom was right. I did all of these things, but I had a very good reason. She just needed to wait a little bit longer.

I was ready to scream my plans of surprising her right then and there, but I got a control over my emotions and I didn't reveal the surprise. She just had to be patient with me.

"Mother, you don't know what I'm going through right now." I said, acting the role of the teenager I was.

"I sure of hell do! You don't think that I haven't lost a loved one? I'm losing several right now!" My mom screamed.

She still didn't get it. I wasn't talking about losing a loved one. Heck, I'm ready to kill my "loved one" right now, if I was strong enough. Then, I heard the uneven breathing of my mother and then I heard the sniffing and the noises of someone sobbing. It was my mom.

"Mom..." I understood what she meant. I really did. My brother had left our family for the time being, and it really didn't look like he was returning at all until I changed myself. My father was disappearing at long times and was no longer talking to anyone. As for me, well I, too, was apparently distancing myself from anyone. I was just being secretive to reveal a giant surprise. I went out to reach for her, but she stopped me.

"Don't come near me! I no longer know who you are anymore. You are no longer the Chiharu that I raised to become strong." She said in a soft voice, that I think it was more of her saying it to herself than saying it to me.

The words still pierced my soul. I ran to my room and slammed the door. Apparently everyone was saying hurtful things to me.

Now that I look back, I wish I had told her from the start that I was returning to the life of a shinobi.

The following day I had left the house early for practice. I didn't want to face my mother, not yet. I had planned on telling her the news of my recovery when I had finished, only I had taken for granted that she didn't have anything else planned on her agenda.

Shortly after I came home, I didn't hear any breathing within the house. I had felt the chilly air outside, so it must've been late in the night. My mom should be home. I had ran towards the room where I remembered they slept in.

I stepped inside, and the smell of blood hit me. I fell to the floor and crawled in a random direction while in the pool of blood. I felt my hands touch the body of my mom. My hands traced her features to get a better picture. Her eyes and mouth were wide open. I could feel the salty water on her cheeks. She was in so much pain, and I had selfishly increased it.

Then, I hugged my mom really hard, Yet, all I felt was her cold, lifeless body. I guess I was trying to tell her that I'm sorry for everything in hopes that her spirit would see it and be happy. It might have been for my own selfish reasons that I don't know about. I just wish that it was all a nightmare. Maybe that way, I wouldn't have so much guilt upon my shoulders.

* * *

My father had been out drinking at the time, so when he came home, well, he changed as well. I guess he returned to himself. Most people thought that he was going to die any day, but now, he's alive and well. He's pushing me to the limit just like he used to. Although, he never talks about my mom anymore. We had to bury everything that reminded us of her, but I keep a photo of her in my pillow. It's a family picture of all of us smiling. Itachi was in the picture, but I hate him. I folded the side with him in it to the back of the picture so I would never see it. I just couldn't bring myself to cut him out.

My mom's death must've woken my dad up. I think he finally realized that if he had continued the path that he goes on now, more of his loved ones would be lost. Funny, how my the last conversation I had with my mom had her saying that she was losing her loved ones.

My brother returned home. Only, he came back different. He came back as a complete stranger. He is no longer the jolly person he once was. Its like around him, there is this hanging shadow. I feel that he blames me for our mom's death. I don't blame him though. I feel guilty about it as well. Ever since I became blind, bad stuff just keeps happening. The only good thing would have to be my metting with Hatake-san.

I'm training day in to day out with my sensei and father pushing me. I just hope that I can live the way I used to before I went on that mission, even though I still can never see again.

I've aquired a new skill. I can sense everything around me if I send out my chakra around me. It'll be really helpful in cases of ambushes. Maybe one day, I can act like I can see, just not physically.

**REVIEW **


	5. The Lone Survivor

**Hope you like this chapter, but REVIEW!!**

Running, I was panting really hard. Stupid Kakashi and his stupid prank.

Over the years of training really hard, I became close friends with Kakashi. My sensei introduced us since Kakashi had an implanted eye that he didn't grow up using. Kakashi had to get his body adjusted and adapted to using it as well as not wasting his chakra away. He helped me practice my chakra control a lot. It sure wasn't fun.

The bond between us grew and now he thinks its safe to play pranks on me. He won't think that once I'm through with him.

The prank was changing my clock hours as well as my alarm. The stupid old man had changed the time it would beep to wake me up. Being the blind person that I am, I didn't know that I was running late until I was out the door. Based off of the loud bustle of the village and the buzzing of animals, I knew I was late.

So out the door I went rushing towards the academy. Again, I don't see the point in setting appointments since more people probably come in late than on time. Ever.

I finally arrived, but boy, was I gonna kill Kakashi.

"Iruka-san!" I yelled in happiness, recognizing his chakra signature.

"Chiharu-san! I thought you forgot or something." He said, surprised.

"No, just a victim of one of Kakashi's many pranks." I said, apologetic.

"Oh, ok. Well, there's still time for the lesson. The class is on break right now, so when they come back in, you can teach them chakra control and the importance." He explained.

I nodded my head and Iruka helped me to the classroom. Once there, I sat down in a chair and sighed. To be honest, I was still a little bit sleepy. Maybe Kakashi did me a favor unintentionally. Better not tell him that, else he'll do it everyday.

I waited for the class to file in and slowly closed my eyes for a few moments when I feel someone poking me in the head. Hell, the kid has a lot of nerve. I popped one eye open, even though I couldn't see. I was hoping the scare the brat.

"What do you want?" I said, opening my other eye and staring at the kid intently.

I may not be able to see, but this kid sure can and my eyes should scare him since they're not normal.

The brat threw a water balloon at me. I was soaked and I wasn't too happy. To say the least, I stood up and started walking towards the kid while cracking my knuckles. Oh, how I wish I could shoot lightning bolts out of my eyes.

The kid backed up and ran towards his seat. If it weren't for the rest of the class to file in, I would've murdered the brat. I heard some chuckling and this kid wouldn't be laughing for long.

Iruka clapped his hands, silencing the class. "Today, we have a special guest to teach us something very important in becoming a ninja, so please be nice to Chiharu-san."

The class turned their attention to me.

"Heh. I was going to teach you kids something very important that if you're not skilled at it, you would fail at life. Unfortunately, one of you brats ruined it. I won't say who. Anyone want to tell me why?" I asked, simply moving my head left and right as if I could really see the kids.

All I saw were their various chakra signatures. One of them was off though. He had a really high chakra level. It was more than my level. It just so happened to be the same kid who threw the water balloon. I hadn't noticed it before.

I didn't know who to pick so, I chose the one kid that stuck out to me. The brat with the high chakra level.

"You." I said, pointing to him.

"Cause you're stupid!" the brat proclaimed.

"Wrong! How about you?" I pointed to the kid with the second highest chakra level.

"Because you're soaked and blind." His voice was ice and reminded me of Itachi. It was too close to it. Right now, I chose to ignore it and keep my emotions controlled.

"Correct. Iruka, If this kid is failing your class, then there's something wrong with your teaching." I joked.

"Wait! If you're blind then how come you could point to us?!" The brat with the high chakra level yelled.

He was really getting on my nerves.

"Ah, that is a good question, brat. It goes along with what I was going to teach and help out today. Chakra control. Since none of you brats seem to possess a brain except that guy, (I pointed to the kid who answered my question right,) I'm going to tell you all about it. So you better pay attention!

Good chakra control allows you to perform a better jutsu and makes sure that you don't waste all of your chakra before you complete your mission. However, if you have a large amount of chakra, you don't really need it. But, that's not always the case. You control your chakra by molding it in your mind and then just push it out mentally. It's rather hard to explain.

What's even better about chakra control is that it can help you in more ways than performing a jutsu. For example, I'm blind and I don't have an unlimited amount of chakra. I send out my chakra every few moments to know what's what, where something is, etc, etc. I can detect living things as well as tell a kid apart from another kid. After all, everyone has a different chakra signature just like a fingerprint.

I am one of the best at controlling my chakra because I need to make sure that I don't waste my chakra in battle and can still perform jutsus while still being able to "see" in battle.

You're going to practice your chakra controlling by performing a jutsu in front of me and I'll just tell you if you're using too much or too little chakra. The more complicated the jutsu, the better. If any of you brats manage to use the perfect amount of chakra, then I'll answer any questions you have about me." I explained.

The kids all lined up in front of me and performed the jutsus, telling me what it was first. It was kind of funny. Since nearly every kid used their entire chakra to try and impress me at a supposedly complicated jutsu.

The brat from before performed a jutsu that I've never heard of and I smelled Iruka's blood. Baka. Too much chakra. However, I'm curious as to what the jutsu did since I heard lots of screaming as well as the fact that the kid was a student, not even gennin, and had caused a chuunin to bleed.

The next kid was the one with the brain. He performed a complicated fire jutsu that impressed even me. Course, I didn't show it. The guy already had a huge ego.

Surprisingly, he got nearly perfect chakra control.

"Too much chakra, but closer than most. I'll give you a question to ask me. Go ahead. One though."

"What's your rank?" Blunt kid.

"ANBU." i placed my index finger over my lips to make sure the kid knew that it was a secret.

HI heard him take a sharp intake of breath. haha. Too bad I fooled the brat. I was really a jounin who's been laid off for several years.

I said I'll answer questions. never said I'd answer then with honest answers. Lesson Numero Uno, I learned from ninja academy.

Finally, the lesson was over and I could leave. However, not before I asked Iruka a couple of questions about the brat who threw a water balloon at me as well as had lots of chakra.

"Iruka, I got a couple of questions for you. Want to answer them?" I asked quite bluntly.

"Now? I'm kind of hungry right now, but if they're short questions, yea." Iruka replied.

They weren't short questions.

"How about over some ramen?" I offered.

He agreed and we silently walked out way over towards Ichiraku ramen. After we ordered, I began my bombardment of questions in a low and serious voice.

"Who was the brat that threw a water balloon at me?" I asked in a very serious tone.

"Naruto, the baby with the nine-tailed fox." He said.

I should've suspected as much. It explained his high level chakra. He really is like his father, though. I don't remember much of his father since I was a toddler, but I do remember hearing tales of his pranks and jokes. It's a wonder he became the fourth Hokage. I guess I forgive the kid for the prank. It's in his blood, after all.

"Does he know of the reason behind the village's actions or his heritage?" I asked, staring at my food.

It was best for me to act as if we weren't having this conversation. After all, it was a forbidden to talk about it.

"No," Iruka sighed.

"Why not?" I asked. Naruto deserved to know why things happened to him.

"It will all be revealed in good time," Iruka had simply said. For some odd reason, I felt a sense of foreboding.

"I hope you're right, Iruka." Silence soon ensued.

"Do you need help on your way home?" Iruka broke the unsettling silence.

"No, but thanks. I know my way home. I just have one last question anyways, Who was the kid who answered my question correctly."

I had just remembered about the kid's cold voice. The voice was too much like Itachi's. It angered me to think that there was such a man who existed and yet, another mere child that is similar to him.

"Sasuke Uchiha." Iruka replied in a quiet voice.

I felt his gaze on my face, trying to see the emotion.

Although, I felt so many conflicting emotions within me, I tried to not let it show. It was then that I was faintly reminded of the fact that I was told that Itachi's younger brother was alive on the day I found out of the ill fate of the Uchiha clan. I was too preocupied with my own affairs at the time to even think about the poor child left behind. I felt so guilty. It was as if I had murdered the child's family, not Itachi.

The other emotions I felt were joy and happiness. It was like new news told to me, as if the fact that Sasuke survived never reached me the first time and only now entered my mind. However, I still felt the need to help Sasuke, it it wasn't too late. He was too young for such a thing to happen to him.

Then, I began to question the reason why Itachi would leave Sasuke alive. There were just too many unanswered questions. It just didn't make any sense. I would need to confront Sasuke. I had to ask him of what he felt. When he was a child, I saw him several times, but that was it. I wasn't close to him since I was busy often and not necessarily fond of children. To say the least, Sasuke was like a stranger to me.

"Iruka-san, will you please excuse me? I have somewhere I need to go." I made a move to get up and leave the ramen stand, but Iruka grabbed my wrist and spoke to me.

"Do not go searching for Sasuke, Chiharu. It will only bring trouble. You must leave Sasuke alone."

**REVIEW else I won't update. Just one would be nice :D I i didn't get one from last update.... Anyways, review, should Chiharu go to look for Sasuke?! I don't know. haha. Writer's block right now. Ideas are best looked upon. **


	6. Dealing with Children

What did Iruka mean by saying that talking with Sasuke would only bring trouble? Sasuke deserved an explanation of why I never tried to talk with him about the deaths of his clan, as I was close to Itachi. He must hate me. I would too, if I were in his situation. I should go see him right now. The sooner I explain things to him, the better the consequences.

I bid Iruka good-bye as I made my way to the Uchiha compound. Thank goodness I still remembered my way there, even after all these years.

The closer I got, I more nervous I became. What exactly was I going to tell Sasuke? How was I going to explain something that even I didn't understand. Was I supposed to tell Sasuke that I wasn't aware of his survival and was too caught up with the idea of a betrayal by a close friend and the loss of my eyesight? I was too selfish to notice that there was someone who had it worse than I and was facing it all alone, when I could've been there.

Life was never easy for me. In fact, I think life was a hell of a lot tougher on me than anyone else.

I was finally in front of the door, and I slowly rapped my knuckles on the door. I sensed Sasuke's chakra coming towards the door.

"Nani?"

"Sasuke. I need to talk to you." I said, trying to keep my face as stoic as possible.

He let me in and stared at me. I could feel that cold gaze. It was just like Itachi's on the night of the massacre.

"I'm sorry." I said.

There it was, out in the open. Such a sweet, simple statement. Too bad the next statement would catch me off guard.

"I don't want your pity. If that's all you wanted to say, get out." Sasuke said.

What made him think that I was pitying him? I meant no such thing. I was apologizing for my actions in neglecting him in his time of need.

"For a brat that's talking back to his sempai, there's something that ought to be done. I came here, not out of pity, but out of apology for not being there when I should've. Maybe I was wrong in choosing to come here." I replied coldly.

I was mad. Sasuke was talking back to me, and I was at least seven years his senior. Not only that, but someone needed to push this child off of his throne and remind him that not everyone does things for his benefit. Some do it for their own benefit and he must learn that not everything revolves around him.

"What difference would my life have been if you were there or not?"

I could feel Sasuke's gaze upon me, even more narrow than before.

"Do you truly not remember me?" I asked softly.

Perhaps Sasuke had been so bent on revenge that he had forgotten pieces of his childhood. If so, Itachi will surely pay for ruining the life of a child. A child should never have to face the world alone at a young age, especially when forced to. The same for Naruto, but he was strong enough. Sasuke wasn't.

"No, I don't," Sasuke said slowly.

"I remember you. Sasuke, when was the last time that you were thinking of your mother? of your childhood? When was the last time that you actually lived as a normal person with emotions and friendships?" I asked.

I needed to remind him that although his life was shattered, he still had memories that he must cling to as a way to make sure that he doesn't lose himself on the path of destruction that he is following. He must remember that he had good times in his life, unlike Naruto who has yet to have a good memory. Sasuke must remember that he was simply thrust into life too early and that he must learn to live with it and forget his thirst for revenge. It would be his undoing if he were to continue.

There was no response.

"When you remember what it is like to live, come see me." I said, and left.

I left Sasuke to mull over his past and what he was going to do in the future.

My anger towards Itachi slowly increased. How could he push a child that he spoke so highly of into a world of strangers, where it's a known fact that life is never fair. To force a child out of his or her happiest moments and out of a life full of ignorance and bliss, it was low.

My thoughts slowly swerved to thoughts of Naruto.

He was a strong and courageous. I'm glad that his lifelong dream was to become Hokage like his father, but I wish that the elders would allow him to know of his lineage or why he was forced into a world of hate as well. Even more, why did the Elders favor Sasuke who had a family instead of Naruto, the son of the Fourth Hokage who gave his life protecting the village? Naruto had no family. He didn't even have any friends with the way the village viewed him.

Then, I realized something. I cared for both of children. I may actually like children. This was new news to me.

________________________________________________________________________

Yawn. I wondered what Kakashi was up to. There was nothing to do in the village, seeing how Sasuke had yet to come see me. Naruto was off somewhere playing his usual pranks on the village.

Man, I needed more friends.

Maybe I could go teach another lesson on chakra control at the academy. Yeah, and risk another water balloon. I don't think so.

I decided on visiting Kakashi. I left my home and went in search of his apartment. If I remembered correctly, I make a turn here, and I follow this street. Then, I go to this alley, and jump over a fence.

I'm starting to think that the path Kakashi told me to reach his apartment was an obstacle course. That, or Kakashi gave me a path that he used to avoid his fan-girls. Knowing Kakashi, I couldn't tell which.

Eventually, I reached his apartment's door, and I was already panting from all that jumping and walking. I was reminded once again of how out of shape I was in.

I knocked on the door and not waiting for a response, walked right in. He should really try to get that door fixed. Then again, I bet he doesn't have anything of value that would be stolen. I also guarantee that no one would be stupid enough to try and steal something from Kakashi's house. He was a ninja!

Maybe I should try to steal something. Just to see his reaction.

I continued to walk in, looking for his chakra signature. There I found it. Why was Kakashi lying in his bed at two in the afternoon? I slowly made my way to the bedroom and heard snoring.

Ever so slowly, I moved my pointer finger towards him. I was just about to poke him, when he woke up.

"Don't even try." Kakashi said.

Darn. Why did he have to wake up just as I was about to poke him hard to wake him up.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead." I joked.

I sensed him get up and slowly walked to go take a shower. I plopped myself on his couch and made myself at home. Unfortunately, I pushed some books off of his coffee table when I ever so gently placed my feet on it. I waited for him to finish taking a shower. It seemed to last forever. I think he did it on purpose just to make me aggravated.

By the time he finished his shower, I was already nodding off to my dreams.

"Normally, I would wake up to the smell of food, but not with you. Instead, I wake up to someone about to poke me." Kakashi said.

His voice woke me up and I said, "I'll make a mental note. Kakashi doesn't mind having a me cook his food when I can very easily mix salt and sugar up, as well as not know the degrees of an oven or the buttons of a microwave."

Inwardly, I chuckled inside. More pranks and jokes to be played on Kakashi went through my head.

"Someone's feeling evil, today." Kakashi muttered.

"I'm curious, though. Do you really have nothing else to do today than sleep until two in the afternoon?" I asked.

"Actually, I was supposed to meet my gennin team today at noon. I must've slept in..." Kakashi sheepishly said.

"Can I come with you? I have nothing better to do, and I want to meet the brats that'll drive you insane!" I asked.

I was really curious as to who would have Kakashi as their sensei. I also wondered if they would really pass the test to become full-fledged gennin, or if they would fail, forgetting the whole idea about teamwork. I wonder if Naruto passed. I hope he does, he deserves it. Sasuke, on the other hand, needs to have a different motivation to do the things that he does. He can't do everything simply for power. Sooner or later, he'll realize that power wasn't going to get him where he was going.

"Sure." Kakashi replied.

We slowly left the apartment and headed towards the academy to meet his new students. As usual, we took our time. What normally would've taken a ten minute jog became an hour and a half walk.

Surprisingly enough, Kakashi really did help an old lady cross the street. When I asked him "why," he simply told me that it was so that he can tell the truth. It made me wonder whether or not the excuses he gave were true.

We finally arrived at the hallway of the classroom. It was pretty quiet, so Kakashi's team must have already left, or they're a bunch of quiet kids. Then I remembered that the latter was impossible. They were kids. Kids weren't quiet. Ever.

"Hey, Kakashi, can I see your gennin team first? I want to see who you got!" I asked, hopefully giving him what looked to be my puppy dog face.

"Go ahead," He said.

I went towards the door, and just as I opened it, a little surprise fell on top of my head. I could detect the chalk rushing up in the air and into my hair and face. Kakashi set me up. I slowly turned my head towards the group of gennin and stared. I could hear their snickering, but I detected a flicker of recognition in Sasuke and a female student.

"I hate you all." I simply said.

"I can't believe you fell for that!!" Naruto laughed.

I heard a chuckle from Kakashi. Darn him. He knew that the chalk eraser was there. I whipped my head towards Kakashi and glared. Try as I might, there was no way that I could make threats to Kakashi. He was a stronger and more experienced shinobi than me.

After a while, the group and I shuffled up towards the roof of the building where they started introducing themselves. I simply stared off into space, but I was inwardly paying attention to what each student said.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I like cup ramen, but I like the ramen of Ichiraku that Iruka-sensei bought for me even more. I hate the three minutes that I have to wait after I put the hot water. My hobby is to eat and compare cup ramens! And my dream is to be come greater than the Hokages. I'm going to make all the villagers recognize my existence."

Naruto. The obsession he has with ramen can't be healthy. If he wants to become the next Hokage, he should really try to eat healthier food, and ramen tasting like vegetables wouldn't work. I wonder how he got addicted to the stuff anyways. Anyways, maybe I should treat him to some Ichiraku ramen since it's his favorite. Better yet, I'll try some of it myself to see if its so great.

"Next." Kakashi must be wondering how such a kid grew up to be a ninja yet has an obsession with ramen greater than his obsession with books.

"I'm Haruno Sakura! I like... well the person I like is... And my hobby is... well my dream is to... " The female gennin squealed, causing my ears to bleed.

"And what do you hate?" Kakashi asked.

"Naruto." She said in a blunt tone.

I figured that I wouldn't like this girl very much. She couldn't even properly say anything except her name and what she disliked. All she did do was create a headache for me from all the high-pitched squealing. Even worse, she kept turning her head towards Sasuke. I hope she doesn't have some birth defect that causes her to spazz every few moments. It would impair her ninja skills.

"Last guy." Kakashi barked.

I'm going to make an assumption that Kakashi is bored beyond imaginable. He probably already knows a lot of information about Sasuke and Naruto, and can assume that Sakura is the stereotypical kunoichi at a young age; girls caring more about other things than actually shinobi techniques.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are many things that I hate, and there aren't a lot of things that I like... Also, I have an ambition that I have no intention to leave as just a dream- the revival of my clan, and to... kill a certain man."

For some odd reason, everyone had different reactions to Sasuke's last statement. Sakura is too infatuated with Sasuke and was in awe of him based on the chakra. I hope her devotion to Sasuke doesn't get in the way of her skills. Kakashi was neutral, or I just can't tell with him. Naruto was in fear of Sasuke. He must have thought that Sasuke might have meant him.

Personally, I was expecting it. I just hoped that Sasuke learns that to pursue his ambition will kill him or those that he will care about. He must quickly learn that this way of life is not healthy or advisable. Perhaps the Hokage should be warned of it, if he doesn't already know.

While I was lost in my thoughts, I felt stares coming towards me.

"What?" I asked, tilting my head slightly as a sign of confusion.

"Chiharu-chan, they want you to introduce yourself as well." Kakashi whispered to me.

"Why? I'm not going to be their instructor, or a part of their team." I responded in a hushed voice.

"You might as well since you're going to be tagging along with me a lot." He argued.

I dropped my head as a sign of defeat. It was yet another reason as to why I should try to befriend more people. I wouldn't have to tag along with Kakashi everywhere as if I were a lost puppy.

"My name you should already know. If you don't, well tough luck. I like... none of you. I hate... all of you. My hobby is to torture little kids. My dream... I don't see the point in one." I smirked.

I could sense that Naruto and Sakura were afraid of me. Sasuke was as indifferent as usual, but I could sense a hint of anger towards me. I hope he wasn't mad at me for trying to tell him how to live his life when I have never been in his situation. He just needs to wake up and realize the truth.

Kakashi shook his head in disbelief at what I had said. Having known me for awhile, he already knew that I like playing with people's heads, but never to actually torture them. Maybe if this group of gennin passes, I'll have my share of fun with them.

**It's been awhile since I updated! It's a little bit slow... but it'll get better! I promise :D Review!! **


	7. Am I up to spar yet?

It's a good thing I'm a light sleeper. A very good thing.

I was just minding my own business to pass the time, when a shuriken was coming towards me. I could hear the metal cutting the surrounding air and heading its way straight for me. Instinct told me to reach for a kunai in a pocket to block it. However, when I reached for one on my holster, it wasn't there.

How foolish I was to forget a shinobi's essentials. Damn it.

I luckily jumped out of the way at the last minute. The shuriken ended up embedding itself into the trunk of the tree behind me. I heard the snapping of twigs and my head snapped towards the twig stepper.

To my relief, I recognized Kakashi's chakra signature. If it was he who threw the shuriken, he must be very preoccupied with something for it to go so awry.

"What are you doing here?" Kakashi asked, curiously.

"Napping until a shuriken nearly killed me." I replied.

"You should leave." Kakashi replied.

"Why?"

"I'm holding the survival test."

"I can protect myself, especially from a bunch of genin."

Whatever Kakashi was implying, it injured my pride greatly. I had been training a lot with my sensei and Kakashi. What made him think that I couldn't protect myself from a group of children recently graduated from the academy? Did he think me weak? I thought I had come a long way from the blindness impairing me. Now, it was, hopefully, a slight handicap.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

I quietly followed Kakashi back to the battlegrounds. I didn't feel like talking to Kakashi, since he still did not think that I returned to my normal self. He had simply pointed towards a tree where I slowly sat down, leaning against the tree. I guess he could sense my anger.

I was about to fall into a light sleep when I heard a scream of a girl. It must have been Sakura. I wonder what Kakashi did to the poor girl to make her scream so loud. Maybe it was a genjutsu...

I started to pay close attention when Sasuke was fighting Kakashi for the bells. I sensed at least a dozen more shuriken and kunai being released towards Kakashi. It must've been a trap. Surprisingly enough, Sasuke expected Kakashi to not fall for the trap, seeing as how he launched a frontal attack.

He was fast for a genin. However, Kakashi was faster.

Then, Sasuke started molding and gathering his chakra for a jutsu. Based off of the smell of smoke, it was a fire jutsu. He was really talented, just like Itachi. A normal genin didn't have enough chakra for a fire-based jutsu, or at least I didn't. Too bad Kakashi had disappeared. His chakra signature was underground.

Sasuke must be strong for Kakashi to bury him head deep into the dirt. Another scream, this time a boy's. It must have been Sasuke from the pitch. Before I knew it, there was another scream emitted by Sakura.

Damn, what was Kakashi doing to these children? Torturing them? It's not healthy for there to be some many screams if its just a test. If these children become mentally scarred, I'm blaming him for it.

After a few minutes of silence, I sensed killer intent. Stupid Sasuke. He needs to control his emotions. He simply can't rush at an enemy, unless he wanted to charge into his death. Besides that, if he learns to control his emotions, his anger would be under control, and he would no longer want to see the destruction of his brother. If only things were that easy.

I listened intently to Kakashi's speech about the whole reason for the test which was teamwork. I wanted to know if I missed any of the weak points that Kakashi had pointed out for the threesome. What he said simply confirmed my suspicions.

Naruto was too stupid to ask for help. I believe he has been forced to rely on himself for far too long that he doesn't think he needs to ask for help. Sakura was still head over heels. Sasuke was still being true to the Uchiha name.

The Uchihas believed that they were above every other clan, and that they deserved the best. Sasuke was brought up as one, and believed that he did not need any help. Even if he did need some, he deemed his team too incompetent to help him. Thus, he did not ask for help.

I felt the sadness that seeped from everyone once Kakashi mentioned the cenotaph. It was especially hard to feel the intense emotions coming from him, and not do anything. I was to not interrupt. I was simply to be an invisible spirit until after their test was over.

I never met Kakashi's friends before, but I had heard stories of them. They were good people who had died on missions. I could tell that Kakashi was really close to them. I wasn't surprised that Kakashi hadn't gone on the same path as Sasuke. He was a good shinobi, and one who understood.

I wish I had met his friends before they died. Kakashi had told me that I would've been really good friends with them if I ever met them. From the stories, I believed him.

What happened next really surprised me. Sasuke offered his food to Naruto who was apparently attached to a log. He offered it even though Kakashi said to not to. I wasn't expecting him to do such a thing. Then, Sakura feeds Naruto as well. Maybe this team will work out well together as long as they can cooperate with one another during a fight.

Once Kakashi told them the good news, I stepped out of the shadows. Naruto and Sakura were surprised by my unexpected appearance. Sasuke had already sensed me earlier.

"Who would've thought that a team filled with a bunch of brats who can't stop by argue half the time, managed to form a squad?" I mockingly said. It was meant to be praise if they caught on, instead of an insult.

"Chiharu-sensei..." Naruto seethed.

"Lighten up, Naruto. It was praise!" I said, ruffling the kids fluffy yellow hair.

Naruto made an attempt to stop me, but it didn't work.

"Tomorrow, we will start missions as Team Seven. Dismissed." Kakashi told them.

I waited until the genin left to train with Kakashi. They sure were taking their sweet time.

"I forgot my weapons..." I began.

"Catch." He threw me a holster filled with kunai and explosive tags.

I caught it and, we backed away from each other. I jumped into a tree and waited for his first move.

I knew that I couldn't have a long battle, the continuous use of my chakra would eventually run my supply of chakra dry. Kakashi knew my weakness, so if he simply waited while I continued to send my chakra out several miles to make a circle frequently, I would become weakened, and easier to defeat. I had to attack Kakashi first.

I sent my chakra out and detected him about a few hundred meters away. Just to make sure it was the real him, I sent it out further until I was satisfied that it wasn't his clone. Lowering my chakra, I rushed towards him and charged with a kunai.

Metal clashed against metal for a split second, sending a clang throughout the forest. Immediately, I twirled around and tried to attack his hamstring. He jumped to dodge, so I brought my kunai upwards to try to nick his heel. My reactions were too slow, and I missed.

A kunai was thrown towards me from above, which I dodged by doing a backwards somersault. It's a good thing that I decided to wear fingerless gloves that day so a twig on the ground wouldn't stab my hand.

Right after Kakashi had thrown his kunai, my clone jumped out and tackled him to a tree. Unfortunately, Kakashi had used a body replacement technique so that my clone had tackled a tree log. Damn it. This battle was starting to seriously take a toil on me, but I wanted to show that I had become stronger.

My clone sent her chakra out in a circle, searching aimlessly for him. He wasn't anywhere. That meant he was above or beneath us. I didn't sense him up, so I placed my fingertips to the ground and allowed my chakra to search the ground. I sensed a lot of insects, but still no Kakashi.

He was hiding his chakra really well, so my clone and I readied ourselves for anything.

Shuriken and kunai were released from a nearby tree which my clone and I dodged. As we were moving to the side, a hand popped from the ground and grabbed my ankle. Shit. He was going to drag me under.

In a flash, I switched places with my clone which was dragged under and disappeared in a smoke. I smirked. I avoided whatever it was he was planning. Too bad I was dealing with a stubborn jounin. He tried again to drag me under head deep into the ground. This time, it worked.

"HATAKE KAKASHI! GET ME OUT OF HERE!!" I screeched.

He was kneeling down to face me better, and I was furious that he hadn't helped me out of it yet.

"I rather think you look better looking decapitated." He remarked.

Curse him. I simply death glared at him in hopes that it would lessen his happiness. It didn't mar it the least bit.

"You improved, but still have more areas left." He said.

"I know. I know. Seriously, though, are you going to help me? As much as I like looking at people's feet..." I reminded him that I wanted to get out of this hell hole. No pun intended.

"Close your eyes. I wouldn't want you to learn how to escape it in our next spar."

"I'm blind. Remember?" I teased. Maybe he'll be deceived and I can watch the different movements of chakra to escape the jutsu.

"You can see the chakra... so no. Nice try though."

I pouted. With a long stare, I eventually closed my eyes, but then opened them as quickly as I could. Unfortunately, in less than the blink of an eye, I was already out of the hole.

"Too slow." Kakashi teased.

I bowed my head in defeat.

"Want to race to... the Hokage tower?" I asked.

Kakashi was already gone by the time I finished my sentence. He was such a cheater. I was going to cheat as well by using the body flicker technique. The silver haired man was going to be running while I'll simply appear there.

I smiled at the thought of winning.

Too bad Kakashi wasn't graceful at losing. He was already there, waiting for me when I got there.

"So, why here?" He asked, curiously.

"Do you think I'm ready to return to regular missions as a jounin?" I asked.

"I'm sorry, Chiharu, but I do not think that you are up to par, just yet." He said in a sad tone.

He still didn't deem me to be a capable shinobi anymore? Maybe I'll be a capable chunnin. I have to be.

"What about chunnin?" I asked, earnestly.

His response was necessary. He must say I was capable as a chunnin, else... I don't know what I'll do. As stubborn as I was, if after all of this training and relearning, I still wasn't good enough, it would be hopeless for me. I put my heart and soul into trying to evolve as a shinobi, but there was a limit to how far I could go.

Practice after practice became tedious and boring. After a certain amount, one would go insane. I must know if I had improved.

"Chiharu, I...." He began.

No.

It wasn't possible.

It couldn't be.

I wasn't capable of being a chunin. He didn't even have to say it for me to get the point.

After all the training I went through, I still wasn't up to par. Even though I persevered in moments when I wanted to give up, it ended up the same had I given up earlier. I thought I had a chance, but it seemed it was a lost cause.

I needed to get out of here. I needed a refresher on life.

Time to go see the Hokage.

**I'm a really bad updater! Sorry! It has been hectic...Reviews Much appreciated...Thanks for reading.**


	8. The Sensei from Hell

I couldn't believe it! Being outside the village had never felt so uplifting, so carefree, or so open! I guess I had been constricted into the village for far too long if I had felt like this.

Outside of the village, I did not feel as if pitying eyes were on me. It was inside the village that the villagers would look upon me and instantly know my story whether it be from gossip or rumors. They simply knew, even if I knew them not.

Earlier, my sensei and I requested permission to leave the village to train for a while, and so here we are. As for where we're heading, I'm no exactly sure. Miko-sensei (catch the sensei's name?) was simply being mysterious as usual, and she simply said that we going to an "isolated part of the fire country."

She also wouldn't tell me how long it would take to get there.

To make things worse, we had to conserve our chakra until we got there so we could rush right into the intense training. I'm starting to get this nagging feeling that I've just signed a death wish.

The weather was wonderful. I could feel the sun shining brightly upon my skin and there was a slight cool breeze. Even a breath of fresh air instantly calmed the jitters in me. I could even hear the chirpings of the small newborn chicks and the footsteps of traveling villagers.

I could possibly get used to life out on the road.

On the way there, we spent the night in a nearby town. It was called Otafuku Gai. There was so much noise in the village that I wouldn't be surprised that if I spoke, I would scream instead. Besides the deafening noise, I was constantly pushed aside like a common street urchin.

While we were trying to make our way towards a hotel, a couple of men whistled when we walked past.

"Miko-sensei, exactly which town are we in?" I whispered.

"Otafuku Gai."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" I hissed.

"No."

"Sensei, did it ever occur to you that we are two females in a town where there is a 'pleasure street'?" I asked, clearly wondering if the life of a ninja had finally driven my sensei over the edge.

"Yes. It did, and it also dawned on me that we would steer clear of the area as well as be capable kunoichi to protect ourselves." She replied.

Sigh. Miko-sensei could be too logical sometimes. After much butt grabbing and men with bruised faces, the hotel was within reach. Being the lazy bum that I am, I decided to grab a little treat before I went inside, since I would be too lazy to come back out.

It was very delicious dango.

The following day was as uneventful as ever, until we actually arrived to the isolated area. It was a shock at how a boisterous town could be so close, yet there be such an isolated area not very far away.

Dropping my bags by a tree, I followed Miko-sensei.

"Because of your blindness, you can't see the hand signs an enemy ninja might make. So, we're going to work on your reactions today. Any action I say, you're going to do. Whether I say "throw a kunai", "throw a shuriken" or "kick upwards", do it. It helps your reaction to sound, and processing it in a quick enough time.

"For now, it'll just be a warm up, while I set up an obstacle course for you to go through." Miko-sensei explained.

I nodded my head in understanding. It made sense. Well, so did everything else that came out of her mouth.

"Get ready."

I tensed my muscles, and held my hands close to my sides.

"Jump."

I jumped into the air, but what came at me, I wasn't prepared for. I heard several kunai cutting the air, making their way towards me. Traps weren't supposed to be ready yet.

It was just like my sensei to make me believe one thing, when in fact it wasn't true. It seemed that I was ready for a huge surprise.

As I dodged kunai twisting my body, the kunai started coming back like a boomerang. Damn it. There were chakra strings attached to them. Before I could get a chance to cut the chakra strings, I had to deflect the kunai.

I landed on the ground, readied for the next attack. Instead, I heard a voice.

"Kick."

I kicked outwards with my right leg, but I felt tremors underneath me, while my foot was still in the air. Damn it. Something was down there, and was probably going to pull me under unless I did something about it.

Like I predicted, a hand grabbed my ankle, and was about to pull me under. However, I had completed a clone replacement jutsu, and moved out of the way.

More kunai came towards me, but this time I was prepared. I started to form a jutsu that would try to repel the kunais, but my teacher wouldn't let me.

"Punch"

I punched my hand right towards where the oncoming kunai were heading. I did a little twirl and used my other hand to deflect the kunai with my own kunai.

As soon as I landed, I felt the ground start to give away, I teleported away, and hid behind a tree. Where was my sensei and what the heck was she doing?

"Water Dragon."

Quickly, before anything could be thrown my way, I made the hand signs, which seemed to take forever, much to my avail. Even worse, when I hit the halfway mark with the hand signs, my sensei started attacking me.

I couldn't stop and continue where I left off, or I would have to restart the entire sequence. I could flee a safe distance, but even then, Miko-sensei would follow. There was also the possibility of a clone to protect me, but with the risk of a lacking of chakra. Scratch that. I can't make a complete clone of myself, since I can't visualize what I look like at the moment.

I had to dodge everything, while keeping my hands are in motion. Miko-sensei didn't go easy on me. In fact, I think she gave it everything she got. I could barely keep my focus.

Finally, I finished the jutsu.

"Suiryuudan no Jutsu!"

A water dragon appeared out of nowhere, and headed towards Miko-sensei. Just as the dragon was about to crash into her, she disappeared.

Great. The whole campsite was going to be wet tonight. I guess I'm sleeping in the trees tonight.

I couldn't sense Miko-sensei. I sent out my chakra in all directions to try to find a piece of her chakra. No such luck. Where the hell was she?

The training went for a couple of hours exactly like this. Sensei would say an action, I'd mimic it, and she would attack me while I was in the midst of the action. It was definitely intense. I was completely drained of my chakra by the end of the day that I couldn't even complete the most simplest of jutsus.

Days passed, and the same training happened each day. It even became harder, if that was even possible. I had handicaps where I could only use water jutsus, or fire jutsus. There were even handicaps where I wasn't allowed to use my chakra or weapons at one point. To this day, I don't even know how I survived the first week. The following weeks simply became more grueling.

In the second week, the focus of the training was to improve my chakra control even more. Due to my eyesight loss, I needed to send out my chakra long distances and ended up wasting it. If a battle were to occur, it would have to be short. My stamina wouldn't last.

To help improve it, I had to practice fighting on water. It was pretty much the same as the first week, only it was on water. Sometimes, I had to even fall into the water on purpose. Drying my clothes was a pain, too.

In the third week, the focus was learning new jutsus and practicing old ones. I had to practice a lot of my old jutsus before it didn't take even a second thought to perform it. I was able to even learn how to make a summoning. I signed the scroll to summon foxes.

At first, I could only summon an average sized fox, but after awhile, I could summon a moderately large fox. However, there was one drawback. I didn't have enough chakra after summoning the fox for any large techniques, and I could only do the most basic jutsus. So, the newly learned jutsu could only be used as a last resort.

By the end of the third week, we had a surprise visitor.

Team Kakashi.

I was fighting with my sensei using taijutsu, and then I sensed 4 extra chakra signatures that I instantly recognized. Miko-sensei sensed them at the same time, too, since she stopped attacking.

"Yo!" Kakashi called out.

Team Kakashi emerged from the trees, and came towards us.

"Neh! Chiharu-sensei! What are you doing here?" Naruto called out.

"Practicing new ways to torture gennin." I grinned.

I sensed the movement of chakra in Naruto and it was erratic. He actually believed me!

"So, what are you guys doing here?" I asked, curious.

"Hokage-sama asked me to check up on your training, but I can see you guys are doing fine."

"Hokage-sama asked you to come all the way here, just to see how we were doing?" I was shocked.

"No… we just finished a mission in the Land of the Waves." He explained.

"Neh, neh, Kakashi-sensei, can we stay here for a couple of hours?" Naruto asked really excitedly.

"…Alright." Kakashi sighed.

"YAY!" Naruto cheered.

"Come on, you brats. Let's see how much you've improved while I've been gone." With that said, I led them to a clearing where I had been training the past few weeks. I readied my stance while I waited for them to come at me one by one.

Unfortunately, I wasn't ready for them to actually come at me together. Like a team. I didn't know that they had actually integrated the idea of teamwork into their fighting skills, yet. Nor did I know that they didn't even need to communicate with one another to work together as a team.

Naruto ran towards me. Meanwhile, Sakura attempted to distract me by throwing kunai at me, and Sasuke readied a jutsu. It would've ended up perfectly, if the whole set up didn't depend on my remaining where I was. Too bad for the munchkins. They still had a lot to learn.

I simply dodged all the attacks that they came at me with. It was relatively easy, but Sasuke was one to watch out for. He was a speedy little devil. But thanks to my training, my reflexes were able to kick in and fend him off.

It kind of grew boring after awhile, so I decided to just call it quits.

"Okay. That's it. Practice is over." I yelled out.

A kunai still flew towards me. Stupid brats.

I caught the kunai and threw it back towards where its owner.

"I said practice was over, so let's head back to the campsite, without any weapons flying." I looked at Sasuke so he got the point.

As soon as I got back Kakashi left with his team to hurry back to Konoha. They had to make up the time lost sparring with me.

"So, Miko-sensei… what'd you talk about with Kakashi?"

"He just passed along a message from the Hokage for us to return as soon as possible due the upcoming chunnin exams. So in a couple of days, we'll be done with the training." She explained.

I nodded, not knowing what she had in store for me in the following days.

If I had known, I would've ran for my life right then and there.

The training was hell. Heck that was even an understatement. There are no words for which to describe the trauma that I went through. The main goal was to combine everything I learned and to fully integrate it into my fighting without even a second thought. Fortunately, the goal was accomplished. Unfortunately, my body needed a long rest.

When we returned, I got my wish. However, it was only until the chunnin exams started. I would have to help out. I could've participated, but I didn't have my own team. Plus, the Hokage deemed it fit that I could get my own test since I had already gone through them before. I was ready. I could just fell it in my bones.

I was allowed a test whenever I wanted. The only problem… it would have to be one of the current exam proctors who tested me, and this year, the proctors were intense. There was Ibiki who was the chief interrogator of Konoha. Of all the test proctors, I'm afraid of him the most. I heard this rumor once that when an enemy shinobi was torturing him, they put his head on fire which is why he has all of those scars. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy… scratch that. I _wish_ for that on my worst enemy. The other proctor was Anko. She was a little bit drastic. That's all there was to say about her. As for the third proctor, well he wasn't scary at all! In fact, he's pretty cool. His name was Genma, but he really needs to go see a healer about that cough of his.

My rest was lovely. If you can call it that with Kakashi popping in every hour on the hour wondering if I was asleep yet. He needed a new hobby. Or a new friend, whichever one came first. Although I doubt another friend was going to enter the picture anytime soon.

I couldn't believe it. Tomorrow was the chunnin exams. I was kind of excited to see the new level of this year's gennin. I was also kind of curious of as to how many would survive after Ibiki.

I best get ready. My training was officially at an end, and I was officially a chunnin.

Apparently, the last couple of days of the training were my test. Way to deceive.

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Review, please! I'll try to update soon. Thanks for past reviewers!! :D


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